Electrical switch



I... H. PECK V ELECTRICAL SWITCH Sept. 24, 1940.

Filed Jan. 23, 1959 INVENTOR LEE H. PECK 2 4 .6 8 l w m. m m 6. 2 M & M a .3 a ex Patented Sept. 24, 1940 PATENT OFFICE 2,215,714 ELECTRICAL SWITCH Lee H. Peck, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, assignor to Porcelain Products, Inc., Findlay, Ohio, in corporation oi Delaware Application January 23, 1939, Serial No. 252,282

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical switches and more particularly to a type of switch combinedywith a base member adapted for connection in an electric circuit and wherein the base member carries electrical conductors for connection with the switch.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a switch having a very small number of parts, which is very cheap to manufacture and 10 easy to assemble, and yet which gives a very safe and rugged switch.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved combination between an oscillating switch contact and permanent conductors where- 15 in a specialized form of contacting members is provided for the electrical connection between the conductors and the switch contact. In one form of this device means is provided for interchangeably connecting a plurality of dielectric plates carrying contact members so that by the changing of this one member of the combination various connections suitable to different uses are provided.

Another object of the invention is to provide a a simplified switch structure wherein a block of dielectric material carries directly in recesses in the block all of the movable switch parts.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the accompanying '0 drawing and specification and the essential features will be summarized in the claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the base member of my device; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the cover member of my device;

'5 Fig. 3 'is a top plan view of the cover member of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section taken along the line 4-4 of Figs. 1 and 2 with the parts assembled; Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the central portion of the cover device of 4,. Fig. 2 with parts removed and showing the formation of the block of dielectric material; Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 6-4 of Fig. 5 and showing certain of the switch parts in position; while Figs. 7 and 8 are 45 bottom views of other forms of dielectric plates adapted to be used interchangeably with a similar plate shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

While my invention is useful in many applications, I have chosen to illustrate a form adapted to open wiring comprising a base member in the switch in the usual manner.

that my invention may be adapted to concealed wiring without departing from the scope thereof. The base member indicated at ill comprises a single block of dielectric material. such as porcelain, having a raised central portion 12 and depressed end portions i3 into which the wires of an electric circuit may be led through knockout portions I4. In the central portion l2 are permanently secured as by the grommets IS a plurality of electrical conductors l6, II, It and l9 10 which are insulated from each other by portions of the dielectric material. These conductors are flat metal strips lying in open parallel grooves spaced transversely of the base member and running from end to end of the device communicatl5 ing with the depressed portions 13. Wires brought in through the knockout portions I are connected to the conductors by binding posts 20. These binding posts have been given suihxes a to f for purposes of later description. The walls of the base member end in a common plane where they meet similar walls of the cover member II and when the base and cover members are secured together as shown in Fig. 4 all the parts are completely encased in dielectric material. 5 The cover member is shown secured to the base member by the bolts 2i threaded into grommets 22 in the base member.

The cover member ll comprises a single block of dielectric material such as porcelain, having a central substantially solid portion 23 and having side walls 24 and end walls 25 (also having knockout portions), these walls ending in a common plane to join the base member as previously mentioned. The top of the block of dielectric material is closed by a wall 26. There is a centrally located opening 21 extending from front to back through the block of dielectric material II. In this opening are housed the movable switch parts. The oscillatable contact carrying member 28 comprises a triangular shaped piece of Micarta or the like to which is riveted the copper contacts 29. Through the central portion of the member 28 is a circular opening 30 through which passes a helical spring 3| whose ends 3la are turned upward to form hooks which pass through notches 32 in the block II to engage in pockets or recesses 33. Thus the member 28 is oscillatably hung on the spring 3|. Through the vortex of the triangular member 28 passes a pin 3| which engages in a notch 35a in the lower end of the throw member 35 which extends outside of the cover member for manipulation of This throw member has trunnions 3512 which rat in recesses 38 which are formed in the block i i just above the pockets 33 and communicating with the central opening 21. A small portion of the block is cut away at 31 to accommodate the ends of the spring 3|. The parts are held in their assembled relation by means of a plate 38 later described and the relationship of the parts is such that the spring 3| is slightly stressed, that is to say, it is bent downwardly in the middle. Thus in effect a toggle is formed having its knuckle at pin 34 and having one leg in that portion of the member 28 lying between pin 34 and the opening 38. The other portion of the toggle comprises that part of the throw member 35 which lies between pin 39, or the notch which receives it, and the trunnions 3511. As this toggle goes over center the spring 3| is stressed so that the member 28 oscillates with a snap action from side to side. This particular type of switch in other combinations is old but the combination of the block of dielectric material having the recesses for directly receiving'the ends of spring 3! and the trunnions 35b of the throw member is novel so far as I know. In other words, having properly formed the block of dielectric material the movable parts of the switch are quickly and easily assembled by passing spring 3| through the opening in member 28, then placing the ends of the spring 3Ia in the pockets 33 and properly placing the throw member 35 with all of these parts held in place by the plate 38 giving a complete operative switch.

So that the switch in the cover member may properly coact with the conductors I6I9 in the base member, I provide novel connecting means between them comprising a plate 39 of dielectric material which is secured over the inner end of the opening 21 as by means of rivets 39a which pass through suitable openings in the block II and in plates 38 and 39, thus securing the plates in position and holding the switch parts in assembled relation. On the plate 39 as best seen in Figs. 2 and 4 are two strips 48 of a suitable metal, such as copper. except insofar as they are right and left-hand and one only will be described. A portion 480. of the strip is secured to the lower face of the plate 39 as by means of a rivet ll. A portion 48b of the strip extends through an opening 39a in plate 39 and upwardly into the opening 21 in position to be engaged by the swinging contact 29. Another portion 480 is bent downwardly away from the plate 39 to engage one of the conductors i8-i9 when the parts are secured together as shown in Fig. 4. This portion 48c is resilient and is held in a slightly stressed condition when the parts are assembled so as to give good contact. It is obvious that when the member 28 is in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 the contact 29 makes electrical connection between the two portions 4811.

When the parts are assembled the cover member as shown in Fig. 2 is turned over upon the base member shown in Fig. 1 so that one of the portions 480 engages conductor iii in the base member and the other portion engages the conductor i9 in the base member. Thus if one line of an electric circuit is connected to the binding post 280, and another to the binding post 28!, then the switch just described will make and break that line.

It will be noted that a notch 42 in one side of the cover member coacts with the projection 43 on one side of the base member so as to insure These strips are alike that the parts are assembled in a predetermined relation.

My switch structure is readily adaptable to various types of switch use by varations of the plate 39 or more particularly, variation of the contact strips carried by such plate. Such varied forms are shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

The form shown in Fig. 7 is suitable where it is desired to make and break both sides of an electric circuit simultaneously or substantially so. I have labeled this plate 44 and it carries contact strips 48 which are in all respects similar to those just described as carried by the plate 39. At the other end of this plate are secured another pair of contact strips of which one, indicated at 45, has a portion 45a riveted to the plate 44 and a portion 45b extending upwardly into the recess 21 through a portion of the slot a in the plate. Another portion 450 extends downwardly away from the plate in alinement with one of the portions 480 at the other end of the plate. The strip portion 46 is secured to the plate and has a portion 461) like the portion 45b just described and forming with that portion a pair of contact members normally in contact position as shown in Fig. 7. Another portion 460 is offset sufliciently to overlie the conductor I8 in the base when the parts are assembled. It will be understood that the plate 44 is assembled on the dielectric block i l in place of the plate 39 shown in Fig. 2 so that when the device is assembled the parts 400 overlie the conductors l8 and I9, the part 450 overlies the conductor i1 and the part 48c overlies the conductor l8. The arrangement of the switch member 28 and the pairs of contacts 40b and flab-46b is such that when the member 28 is in one position the contact 29 forms an electrical connection between the portions 48b while the member 28 clears the pair oi! contacts 45b, 46b so that both pairs of contacts are closed. on the other hand when the member 28 swings to the opposite side a non-conducting portion of the member 28 engages between the contacts b, 46b to break them and the contact 29 passes out of engagement with the portions 48b so that both pairs of contacts are open. With this type of switch one side of the line would be connected to the binding post 28a and the other side of the line to the binding post 282). The load would be connected between binding posts 29d and 28!, then in one position of the switch conductors l8 and I 9 would be connected on the one hand, and conductors l1 and I8 on the other hand. Thus both sides of the line are connected and in the opposite position of the switch both sides of the line are broken. It is possible to make the oscillation of the member 28 occur in approximately of a second when the device is connected in a 60 cycle circuit. Then there is approximately one cycle between the breaking oi. one side of the line and the breaking of the opposite side of the line so that arcing is greatly minimized.

The form of device shown in Fig. 8 is of particular value in a three-way switch connection such as is commonly known and more particularly shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 218,339, filed July 9, 1938, in Fig. 12 of the drawing. In Fig. 8 I have indicated the dielectric plate at 41. This plate carries at one end the contact strips 48, the same as previously described and at the other end carries the contact strip 48 alined with one oi. the contact strips 48 and similar in all respects thereto. To coact with the portion 48b of this contact strip I provide a portion 49b on a strip 48 which is secured to plate 41 but has no portion for contacting any of the base member conductors. A conducting strip 50 connects one of the strips 40 with the strip 49. It will be understood that the plate 41 may be substituted in Fig. 2 for the plate 39 so that when this is assembled with the base of Fig. 1 the portions 40c will engage conductors l6 and I9 respectively and the portion 48c will engage the conductor Il, then when the switch member 28 is in one of its positions conductors I6 and I9 are connected and when the switch member is in its other position conductors l6 and H are connected. In a three-way circuit two or the bases shown in Fig. 1 should have their binding posts 20d connected together and have their binding posts 20 connected together. Also the binding posts 20:: should be connected together. Then if the line is connected one side to the binding post 20a and the other side to the post 20b, if the load is connected between binding posts 20a and 20bof the other base member a three-way switch combination is established assuming that each cover member is equipped with a plate 41 as shown in Fig. 8.

Other combinations will occur to those skilled in this art and so far as I know I am the first to provide the novel combination of a standard base member and a standard cover member carrying a switch with a dielectric plate between which may be varied as shown in Figs. 2, 7 and 8 or any other combinations so that in assembling switches for various uses the only part which need be changed is the dielectric plate 39, 44 or 41 as just described. This reduces the parts necessary to manufacture and to carry in stock.

It will be seen that I have provided a very simple switch having a small number of parts due to the fact that the blocks of dielectric material, one forming the base member and the other the cover member carry many of the parts. Also when the device is assembled as shown in Fig. 4, the switch parts are held in firm contact with the conductors in the base member and all active parts are housed in dielectric material so that there is no danger of fire. In fact I have tested switches of this type at great overloads Ior long periods of time without destroying the same.

What I claim is:

1. In an electrical switch having an over-center snap contact device, a cover member comprising a block of dielectric material having an opening through it from front to back, there being recesses in the walls of said opening to support said snap contact device, a base member secured to said cover member and carrying electrical conductors, a sheet of dielectric material secured to said block over the inner end 0! said 'recess, and contact members independent of said base and cover members carried by said sheet and having portions on one side of said sheet adapted to engage said snap contact device and having portions on the other side of said sheet held in removable engagement with said conductors in said base member by securement of said base and cover members together.

2. In an electric switch structure, a base member, a plurality of conductors on said base member and arranged for connection in an electric circuit, a cover member removably secured to said base member, a switch mounted on said cover member, a plate of dielectric material, means for removably securing said plate to said cover member, contact members carried by said plate adapted when said plate is secured to said cover member to engage said switch on said cover member, and said contact members being adapted also to engage said conductors by securement of said base and cover members together.

3. In combination, a cover member, a switch contact member oscillatabiy mounted in said cover member, said contact member having contact making and contact breaking portions, a base member secured to said cover member, four conductors mounted in spaced relation in said base member, a plate of dielectric material mounted on said cover member between said contact member and said conductors, two pairs of electric contact strips mounted on said plate. each strip having a portion extending into the zone of oscillation of said switch contact member, said portions of one pair being normally closed and said portions of the other pair being normally open, the relation between said pairs and said contact member being such that said contact making portion closes said normally open pair when said contact breaking portion opens said normally closed pair, and each strip having a portion held in engagement with one of said conductors by securement of said base and cover members together, each of said last named por tions engaging a diflferent conductor, whereby electrical connection is made and broken simultaneously between sets of two each of said conductors.

4. In combination, a cover member, a switch contact oscillatabiy mounted in said cover member, a base member secured to said cover member, three conductors mounted in spaced relation in said base member, a plate of dielectric material mounted on said cover member between said contact and said conductors, two pairs of electric contact strips mounted on said plate, each pair having portions extending into the zone 01' oscillation of said switch contact, said portions being positioned with respect to said switch contact so as to make contact at one pair when contact at the other pair is broken, there being an electrical connection between one portion of one pair and one portion of the other pair, and three oi! said strips having portions held in engagement with said three conductors respectively by securement of said base and cover members together. said three strips including one of those having said connected portions and the two which are electrically disconnected.

LEE K. PECK. 

